Jenny Jay
Encyclopedia
Jenny Jay is a British actress, who played Carmen in Carla Lane
's television series Bread. She has also appeared in such programmes as Behind The Bike Sheds, The Bill
, KYTV, Alas Smith and Jones
, All Creatures Great and Small, Inspector Morse
and the 80s children's drama series, Dodger, Bonzo and the Rest
.
Holiday Camps and winning several holidays for the family.
Jenny's passion for singing and performing began at an early age; she won her first competition when she was 5 years old as well as appearing on Opportunity Knocks. At 7 years of age she sang at the London Hilton Cabaret Spot. Moving to London at this time made it possible for Jenny to go to the prestigious Italia Conti drama school and later attend the Sylvia Young Theatre School
.
During her teens she appeared in two ITV
dramas, Dodger, Bonzo and the Rest
and two series of Behind The Bike Sheds. She also appeared on the Russell Harty
Show performing an act with a ventriloquist doll of then Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher
.
An appearance in controversial BBC
gay-themed drama, Two of Us
led to musician Morrissey
casting Jenny in the video for his single
Dagenham Dave
.
Many television roles followed, most prominently two series as Carmen in Carla Lane
's Liverpool sitcom Bread.
During 1996 Jenny spent a year on L!VE TV
's low budget series Canary Wharf.
She is also a full time mum.
In 1987 Jenny featured alongside Paul McCartney
, Boy George
, Bananarama
, Kim Wilde
, Nik Kershaw
and many others as part of the line up for Ferry Aid
on the charity single Let it be in aid of the Zeebrugge
Herald of Free Enterprise disaster.
In 1989 Jenny performed backing vocals during the Italian tour of soul group Imagination. She also worked with James Brown
’s backing band at a club in Georgia, USA.
Over the years Jenny has appeared at venues spanning the country from The Zap Club in Brighton to The Fubar in Scotland.
Jenny Jay was also part of hardcore music group Triple J as well as having a solo career as Jenka, and also her real name, Jennifer Bolton.
Carla Lane
Carla Lane, OBE is an English television writer responsible for many successful sitcoms, including The Liver Birds , Butterflies , and Bread ....
's television series Bread. She has also appeared in such programmes as Behind The Bike Sheds, The Bill
The Bill
The Bill is a police procedural television series that ran from October 1984 to August 2010. It focused on the lives and work of one shift of police officers, rather than on any particular aspect of police work...
, KYTV, Alas Smith and Jones
Alas Smith and Jones
Alas Smith and Jones is a British comedy sketch television series featuring Mel Smith and Griff Rhys Jones. It was broadcast on the BBC from 1984 to 1998...
, All Creatures Great and Small, Inspector Morse
Inspector Morse (TV series)
Inspector Morse is a detective drama based on Colin Dexter's series of Chief Inspector Morse novels. The series starred John Thaw as Chief Inspector Morse and Kevin Whately as Sergeant Lewis. Dexter makes a cameo appearance in all but three of the episodes....
and the 80s children's drama series, Dodger, Bonzo and the Rest
Dodger, Bonzo and the Rest
Dodger, Bonzo and the Rest was a television drama series which centered around the lives of Michael "Dodger" Dolan and his sister, Carol who were part of a large foster family in London. It was aired in the early evenings on the ITV channel's Children's ITV. There were two series of six episodes...
.
Biography
Jenny Bolton aka Jenny Jay has been involved in the music business and performing since a very early age - entering talent contest at ButlinsButlins
Butlins is a chain of large holiday camps in the United Kingdom. Butlins was founded by Billy Butlin to provide affordable holidays for ordinary British families....
Holiday Camps and winning several holidays for the family.
Jenny's passion for singing and performing began at an early age; she won her first competition when she was 5 years old as well as appearing on Opportunity Knocks. At 7 years of age she sang at the London Hilton Cabaret Spot. Moving to London at this time made it possible for Jenny to go to the prestigious Italia Conti drama school and later attend the Sylvia Young Theatre School
Sylvia Young Theatre School
Sylvia Young Theatre School is an independent fee-paying stage school, in Westminster, London, named after its founder and Principal, Sylvia Young.-Outline:...
.
During her teens she appeared in two ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
dramas, Dodger, Bonzo and the Rest
Dodger, Bonzo and the Rest
Dodger, Bonzo and the Rest was a television drama series which centered around the lives of Michael "Dodger" Dolan and his sister, Carol who were part of a large foster family in London. It was aired in the early evenings on the ITV channel's Children's ITV. There were two series of six episodes...
and two series of Behind The Bike Sheds. She also appeared on the Russell Harty
Russell Harty
Russell Harty was an English television presenter of arts programmes and chat shows.-Early life:Born Frederick Russell Harty in Blackburn, Lancashire, he was the son of a fruit and vegetable stallholder on the local market...
Show performing an act with a ventriloquist doll of then Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990...
.
An appearance in controversial BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
gay-themed drama, Two of Us
Two of Us (1987 film)
Two of Us is a 1987 gay-themed BBC television film written by Leslie Stewart and directed by Roger Tonge. Produced as part of the BBC Schools SCENE series and intended for young adults...
led to musician Morrissey
Morrissey
Steven Patrick Morrissey , known as Morrissey, is an English singer and lyricist. He rose to prominence in the 1980s as the lyricist and vocalist of the alternative rock band The Smiths. The band was highly successful in the United Kingdom but broke up in 1987, and Morrissey began a solo career,...
casting Jenny in the video for his single
Dagenham Dave
Dagenham Dave (song)
"Dagenham Dave" is a song by Morrissey, released as a single in August 1995, a week prior to the release of Southpaw Grammar. It was Morrissey's first release on RCA, the label he had signed to after leaving EMI...
.
Many television roles followed, most prominently two series as Carmen in Carla Lane
Carla Lane
Carla Lane, OBE is an English television writer responsible for many successful sitcoms, including The Liver Birds , Butterflies , and Bread ....
's Liverpool sitcom Bread.
During 1996 Jenny spent a year on L!VE TV
L!VE TV
L!VE TV was a British television station that was operated by MGN on cable television from 15 August 1995 - 31 October 1999. It was later revived for Sky Digital from 2003...
's low budget series Canary Wharf.
She is also a full time mum.
Music
Jenny’s musical tastes cover several genres such as R&B, Happy Hardcore, Drum & Bass, Reggae, Pop and Dance music in general.In 1987 Jenny featured alongside Paul McCartney
Paul McCartney
Sir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
, Boy George
Boy George
Boy George is a British singer-songwriter who was part of the English New Romantic movement which emerged in the early 1980s. He helped give androgyny an international stage with the success of Culture Club during the 1980s. His music is often classified as blue-eyed soul, which is influenced by...
, Bananarama
Bananarama
Bananarama are an English female pop duo who have had success on the pop and dance charts since 1982. Rather than relying on a two part harmony, the duo generally sings in unison, as do their background vocalists. Although there have been line-up changes, the group enjoyed their most popular...
, Kim Wilde
Kim Wilde
Kim Wilde is an English pop singer, author and television presenter who burst onto the music scene in 1981 with the number 2 UK Singles Chart new wave classic "Kids in America". In 1987 she had a major hit in the United States when her version of The Supremes' classic "You Keep Me Hangin' On"...
, Nik Kershaw
Nik Kershaw
Nik Kershaw is an English singer-songwriter. The one time jazz-funk guitarist was a mid-1980s teen idol. His 50 weeks on the UK Singles Chart in 1984 beat all other soloists...
and many others as part of the line up for Ferry Aid
Ferry Aid
Ferry Aid were a British-American ensemble group, brought together to record the song "Let It Be" in 1987. The single was released following the Zeebrugge Disaster, which had occurred on 6 March 1987 involving the capsizing of the MS Herald of Free Enterprise ferry, which killed 193 passengers and...
on the charity single Let it be in aid of the Zeebrugge
Zeebrugge
Zeebrugge is a village on the coast of Belgium and a subdivision of Bruges, for which it is the modern port. Zeebrugge serves as both the international port of Bruges-Zeebrugge and a seafront resort with hotels, cafés, a marina and a beach.-Location:...
Herald of Free Enterprise disaster.
In 1989 Jenny performed backing vocals during the Italian tour of soul group Imagination. She also worked with James Brown
James Brown
James Joseph Brown was an American singer, songwriter, musician, and recording artist. He is the originator of Funk and is recognized as a major figure in the 20th century popular music for both his vocals and dancing. He has been referred to as "The Godfather of Soul," "Mr...
’s backing band at a club in Georgia, USA.
Over the years Jenny has appeared at venues spanning the country from The Zap Club in Brighton to The Fubar in Scotland.
Jenny Jay was also part of hardcore music group Triple J as well as having a solo career as Jenka, and also her real name, Jennifer Bolton.